A bill would amend the constitution to bar felons from serving as sheriff.
Sen. Stan Bingham, a Davidson County Republican, said he filed the bill after hearing from sheriffs in his district.
"A sheriff cannot hire someone as a deputy — especially that carries a firearm — who is a felon, but he can be one," he said.
The amendment would forbid any sheriff who had been found guilty of a felony in North Carolina or another state, regardless of whether they had their voting rights restored.
It would be on the November 2010 ballot.
The former sheriff of Buncombe County was found guilty of accepting more than $300,000 in bribes from video poker operators last year.
The bill has 23 sponsors, almost a majority of the 50-member Senate.
Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated Bingham's party.
Comments
Re: Bill: No felons as sheriff
March 3, 2009 - 5:13pm — GrayJThere are rumors that former Davidson County Sheriff and convicted felon Gerald Hege is considering running for sheriff again. For those of you don't know Hege garnered national fame for painting the county jail cells pink, driving a car known as "The Spider Car", hosting a CourtTV show and sending out Christmas Cards showing himself holding the severed head of Osama Bin Laden with the greeting "Happy Ramadan"
Re: Bill: No felons as sheriff
March 3, 2009 - 4:33pm — ryanteaguebeckwith (author)Fixed. Thanks!
— RTB
Re: Bill: No felons as sheriff
March 3, 2009 - 4:24pm — lpetrouSince when did Stan Bingham become a democrat?